142 President's Address. 



pleasure to me to have the support not only of so many of 

 the younger generation of ornithologists, who are making 

 history in the present clay, but I rejoice to see present on 

 this occasion two of the original founders of the British 

 Ornithologists' Union, Dr. P. L. Sclater and Dr. F. D. 

 Godman. When I was entering the field of ornithological 

 study, these were the men who encouraged me and helped 

 me forward in the teeth of many difficulties. That they 

 should be present to-day to support their erstwhile pupil is 

 only what might be expected from their kindly natures, but 

 it is impossible for me to regard their presence without 

 a recollection of all their goodness to me in past years, 

 and I am sure that I am only expressing the feeling of all 

 ornithologists here present when I say that we are all pleased 

 and proud to welcome two of the original founders of the 'Ibis.' 

 Another of that celebrated brotherhood, Canon Tristram, 

 sends me a message of greeting and congratulation, but his 

 age and the state of his health unfortunately prevent him 

 from being present. Professor Newton, also one of the 

 original founders of the Union, we hope to meet next week 

 when the Congress adjourns to Cambridge, and when we hope 

 to give him full evidence of our regard and esteem. 



There is, moreover, present at this meeting, one of the 

 members of the Congress, whom I am sure we all delight to 

 honour— I mean Dr. Günther. Personally I feel that I owe 

 him great acknowledgment, for he it was that recommended 

 that I should be appointed to the post of Ornithologist in 

 the British Museum in succession to George Robert Gray — 

 and he carried to a successful conclusion the ' Catalogue 

 of Birds.' What the accomplishment of this great 

 undertaking meant is probably known only to two people 

 in the world — Dr. Günther — and myself. He directed the 

 work, and I wrote half of it. It must never be forgotten 

 by ornithologists that when he became keeper of the 

 Zoological Department, the latter was at a very low ebb, and 

 that, on his retirement, he left it in a high state of efficiency, 

 with the collection of birds at least ten times as great as 

 when he took up the keepership. 



It has been, up to the present time, impossible to prepare 

 an exact estimate of the number of skins of birds and eggs 



